Speech on the Opening Ceremony of the Sri Burapha Conference Hall

Sulak Sivaraksa

Past and present members of Thammasat University should be proud that an alumnus who had steadfastly stood for the cause of peace and democracy even if that entailed the periodic deprivation of personal freedom and lifelong exile is now being recognized by UNESCO as an important world personality. On the auspicious occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth on 31 March 2005 and at the university in which a new conference hall bearing his penname "Sri Burapha" is situated we are rightly venerating the venerable — a truly meritorious act.

Sri Burapha was not only the pseudonym of Kularb Saipradit but, for many years, has also been the name of an important award for Thai writers whose works and actions are devoted to righteous cause, especially liberty, solidarity, equality, and nonviolence.

Hopefully, the Sri Burapha Conference Hall will not be just a building but also a platform to display or inform about beauty, truthfulness, and goodness in an exceptional way. All members of Thammasat University—administrators, academic staff, students, etc.—must collaborate to launch this platform, to initiate activities that glorify (the meaning of sri ) the direction of "burapha," which does not simply mean "the East" but also, and more substantially, "the dawn" or the beginning of a new day— when the golden rays of the sun pierce through the darkness of the night. And if we are mindful we can use this brightness to awaken ourselves to peacefulness and cleanliness, at the personal and the social levels. Therefore I hope that a number of individuals who support this goal will make the Sri Burapha Conference Hall a lively, dialogical forum open to public participation, to anyone who searches for or upholds the values embodied by Kularb Saipradit.

Also. we must not forget that this year also marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Direk Jayanama, who taught at and was the first dean of the Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University . Has the university planned to commemorate this special occasion? At least it should persuade the Thai foreign

ministry to name its library or one of its conference rooms "Direk Jayanama" to remind the younger generation of the virtues of humanism and selfless ness. Although from different walks of life, the goodness of Direk Jayanama was comparable to Kularb Saipradit's.

We are also approaching the 100th anniversary of the birth of Puey Ungphakorn who like Kularb Saipradit was a Thammsat alumnus and like Direk Jayanama had taught at that university. There is now a Puey Forum at Wat Pradum Kongka. the temple where he was ordained as a novice and where his ashes (along with his mother's and maternal grandmother's) are kept. Built in 1999, the year Puey passed away, the Puey Forum is not only a commemorative building. More important, it seeks to rejuvenate the role of the temple in contemporary society and to rekindle the flame of peace and righteousness. It is heartening to learn that at the Bank of Thailand there is a Sethadhamma (righteous economics) Association, which was recently established on 12 January 2005 . There had also been a Sethadhamma Association at Thammasat University . In fact, Puey Ungphakorn gave the association that name. when he was dean of the Faculty of Economics.

It is clear that the Bank of Thailand well recognizes the virtues of Puey Ungphakorn. The foreign ministry should emulate this gesture and recognize Direk Jayanama because one should be thankful for benefits received and should reciprocate them. Thammasat University is collaborating with the Bank of Thailand to revitalize the long dormant Sethadhamma Association. It should similarly persuade the foreign ministry to launch activities geared at promoting goodness in the name of Direk Jayanama. A university's responsibility is not only confined within the walls of its campus. It should also display moral quality and force to the wider community.

I must commend the Thammasat University Council for approving the establishment of the Sri Burapha Conference Hall. And on the opening ceremony of this conference hall may glory be in the direction of the dawn or the awakening of goodness. To embark on the path of real goodness requires the Right View. At present, society is laden with false views—greed, lust, prestige, and so on. Therefore, I hope that the conference hall will be a platform to cultivate the Right View.

On the 50th anniversary marking the end of the Second World War in the kingdom, Bangkok opened the Peace Park . The handwritten words of Ku-larb Saipradit praising peace were visibly engraved at the park to serve as a reminder to all visitors. 16 August 2005 will mark the 60th anniversary of the declaration of peace made by Pridi Banomyong qua Regent. It will therefore be highly appropriate for Thammasat University to organize an official ceremony on that day to awaken all Siamese to the worthiness of Sri Burapha and his contemporaries such as Direk Jayanama and Puey Ungphakorn. These three individuals, numerous others whose names could not be mentioned here, and virtually all the Thammasat students who devoted their lives to freedom and democracy were students of Pridi Banom-yong, the founder of Thammasat University.

We must not forget that when Pridi announced the declaration of peace on 16August 1945, it was simultaneously a declaration of independence and liberty. Earlier. Pridi had helped guided Siam in the transition from absolute to constitutional monarchy on 24 June 1932 . In other words, we must not forget that peace, independence, and liberty were restored to Siam on 16 August 1945 as a result of the efforts of the Free Thai Movement, whose headquarters was situated in Thammasat University . And if Pridi did not have Direk Jayanama as his right hand, who then successfully brought along Luang Aduldejcharat as another close collaborator, the underground activities of the Free Thai Movement would have met with even greater obstacles.

On the 50th anniversary of the declaration of peace, H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirin-dhorn presided over the opening ceremony held at the Grand Conference Hall, Thammasat University . H.R.H. Princess Sirindhom will once again graciously preside over the centennial ceremony of Sri Burapha on March 31.

Hopefully, Thammasat University will not only commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kularb Saipradit but also the 60th anniversary of the declaration of peace.

21" March 2005

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From SEEDS OF PEACE Vol.21 No.2 May-Aug. 2548 (2005)
This article is paste on https://www.sulak-sivaraksa.org on : 2005-06-15

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